2 Chronicles Chapter 25
Amaziah Rules Judah
1 Amaziah was 25 and ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 He did what was good, but not with all his heart. 3 As soon as his kingdom was firmly in hand, he executed the officials that had assassinated his father. 4 He didn’t put their children to death, like Yahveh commanded in the Law of Moses: “Don’t execute parents for offspring or offspring for parents. Execute each person for that person’s sin.”
5 Amaziah gathered Judah and appointed them according to their families under commanders of thousands and hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin. He took a census of men 20 and older and found 300,000 elite men, fit for war and handling spear and shield. 6 He hired 100,000 trained soldiers out of Israel for 7550 lbs 100 talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him and said,
“Don’t let Israel’s army go with you; Yahveh is not with Israel or Ephraim. 8 Even if you go strong into the battle, God will still make you stumble in front of the enemy. He has power to help or hinder.”
9 Amaziah said, “But what will we do for the 7550 lbs 100 talents of silver I’ve given Israel’s troops?”
The man of God answered, “Yahveh has a lot more to give you than that.”
10 Amaziah dismissed the troops from Ephraim, and they went home disgruntled. `2 Ch 25:1-10
11 Amaziah gathered his courage, led his people to the Valley of Salt, and struck down 10,000 people from Seir. 12 Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff. They threw them down and threw them down to their death. 13 But Israel’s troops that Amaziah sent back, raided the towns in Judah between Beth-horon and Samaria, struck down 3,000 of them, and plundered a lot of spoil.
14 After Amaziah came from slaying the Edomites, he brought the gods from Seir. He set them up as gods, bowed to them, and burned incense to them. 15 Yahveh’s anger burned against him. He sent him a prophet, “Why seek gods that haven’t delivered their own people from you?”
2 Ch 25:11-15
16 As he was talking to him, the king said, “Did we appoint you a royal counselor? Shut up! Why get struck down?”
The prophet stopped and said, “God has planned to destroy you because you’ve done that and ignored my advice.”
17 Amaziah took counsel and sent to Joash (Ben-Jehoahaz Ben-Jehu, king of Israel), “Come. Let’s face each other.”
18 Joash sent back to him,
“A thistle in Lebanon sent to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and tramped down the thistle. 19 You said, ‘I’ve defeated Edom.’ You’ve become proud. Stay home. Why stir up trouble to make yourself and Judah fall?” 2 Ch 25:16-19
20 But Amaziah wouldn’t listen because it fit with Yahveh’s plan to God deliver them to Joash because they’d looked to Edom’s gods. 21 Joash, king of Israel, went up and faced Amaziah at Beth-shemesh in Judah. 22 He defeated Judah, and they fled to their tents. 23 Joash captured Amaziah at Beth-shemesh and took him to Jerusalem. He tore down the wall from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 600ft. 24 He took all the gold and silver, the items in God’s Temple with Obed-edom, the treasures of the king’s palace, and hostages too, and went back to Samaria.
25 Amaziah lived 15 years after the death of Joash Ben-Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26 The rest of the acts of Amaziah, first to last, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 From the time Amaziah turned away from following Yahveh, they plotted against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, but they sent assassins after him and killed him. 28 They brought him back on horses and buried him with his ancestors in The City of Davidms. 2 Ch 25:20-28